The West Indies cricket team, also known colloquially as the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.

The West Indies have won the ICC Cricket World Cup twice, in 1975 and 1979, the ICC World Twenty20 once, in 2012, the ICC Champions Trophy once, in 2004, and were runners up in the Cricket World Cup in 1983 and Under 19 Cricket World Cup in 2004. The first cricket team to win the World Cup twice, their record was surpassed by five World Cup wins by Australia, and equalled by India in 2011. West Indies are also the first team to win back to back World Cups, since surpassed by three consecutive World Cup wins by Australia (1999, 2003 and 2007). West Indies is the first team to appear in three consecutive World Cup finals (1975, 1979 and 1983), since surpassed by four consecutive World Cup finals appearances by Australia (1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007).

As of 29 March 2015, the West Indian cricket team is ranked eighth in Tests, eighth in ODIs and sixth in T20Is by the ICC.[1]

National teams also exist for the various islands, which, as they are all separate countries, very much keep their local identities and support their local favourites. These national teams take part in the West Indian first-class competition, the Carib Beer Cup (earlier known as the Busta Cup, Shell Shield and various other names).[3] It is also common for other international teams to play the island teams for warm-up games before they take on the combined West Indies team.

The official population number for those countries and dependencies is estimated to around 6 million, which is larger than Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

Learie Constantine, who played Test cricket in the 1920s and 1930s, was one of the first great West Indian players.

The West Indies have won four major tournament titles: the World Cup twice, the Champions Trophy once, and most recently the World Twenty20 once. The last was under the captaincy of Darren Sammy in October 2012.

The history of the West Indies cricket team began in the 1890s, when the first representative sides were selected to play visiting English sides. The WICB joined the sport's international ruling body, the Imperial Cricket Conference, in 1926,[4] and played their first official international match, granted Test status, in 1928,[5] thus becoming the fourth Test nation.

The last series the West Indies played before the outbreak of the Second World War was against England in 1939. There followed a hiatus that lasted until January 1948 when the MCC toured the West Indies.[6] Of the West Indies players in that first match after the war only Gerry Gomez, George Headley, Jeffrey Stollmeyer, and Foffie Williams had previously played Test cricket.[7] In 1948, leg spinner Wilfred Ferguson became the first West Indian bowler to take ten wickets in a Test, finishing with 11/229 in a match against England;[8] later that same year Hines Johnson became the first West Indies fast bowler to achieve the feat, managing 10/96 against the same opponents.[9] Although blessed with some great players in their early days as a Test nation, and beating England for the first time at Lord's on 29 June 1950, their successes remained sporadic until the 1960s when the side changed from a white-dominated to a black-dominated side. By the 1970s, the West Indies had a side recognised as unofficial world champions, a reputation they retained throughout the 1980s.[10] During these glory years, the West Indies were noted for their four-man fast bowling attack, backed up by some of the best batsmen in the world. In 1976, fast bowler Michael Holding took 14/149 in a Test against England, setting a record which still stands for best bowling figures in a Test by a West Indies bowler.[11][12]

The 1980s saw the team set a then-record streak of 11 consecutive Test victories in 1984 and inflict two 5–0 "blackwashes" against the old enemy of England. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, however, West Indian cricket declined, largely owing to the failure of the West Indian Cricket Board to move the game from an amateur pastime to a professional sport, coupled with the general economic decline in West Indian countries, and the team is struggling to regain its past glory.

Former flag of the West Indies cricket team used until 1999. This flag became public domain. The current version is similar to this but the new one is copyrighted.

Most cricketing nations use their own national flags for cricketing purposes. However, as the West Indies represent a number of independent states and dependencies, there is no natural choice of flag. The WICB has, therefore, developed an insignia showing a palm tree and cricket stumps on a small sunny island (see the top of this article). This insignia, on a maroon background, makes up the West Indian flag. The background sometimes has a white stripe above a green stripe, which is separated by a maroon stripe, passing horizontally through the middle of the background.[13] Prior to 1999, the WICB(C) had used a similar insignia featuring a palm tree and an island, but there were no stumps and, instead of the sun, there was the constellation Orion.

The following eleven stadia have been used for at least one Test match.[14] The number of Tests played at each venue followed by the number of One Day Internationals and twenty20 internationals played at that venue is in brackets as of 11 July 2011:

The Queen's Park Oval has hosted more Test matches than any other ground in the Caribbean and first hosted a Test match in 1930. The ground is considered one of the most picturesque venues in the world of cricket, featuring the view Trinidad's Northern Range. It has a capacity of over 18,000.

Kensington Oval hosted the region's first Test match in 1930 and is recognised as the 'Mecca' of West Indies cricket. It also played host to the first-ever Test triple century, Andy Sandham's 325. Its capacity was increased from 15,000 to 28,000 for the 2007 World Cup and down to its current capacity of 11,000 post World Cup.

Bourda first hosted a Test match in 1930. It was the only Test ground in South America (until the use of Providence), and the only one below sea level and with its own moat (to prevent the pitch from frequent flooding). It has a capacity of around 22,000.

Sabina Park first hosted a Test match in 1930. The Blue Mountains, which are famed for their coffee, form the backdrop. Sabina Park played host to Garry Sobers' then world-record 365 not out. In 1998 the Test against England was abandoned here on the opening day because the pitch was too dangerous. It has a capacity of 15,000.

Antigua Recreation Ground first hosted a Test in 1981. Three Test triple centuries have been scored on this ground: Chris Gayle's 317 in 2005, and Brian Lara's world record scores of 375 in 1994 and 400 not out in 2004. The historic stadium was removed from the roster of grounds hosting international matches in June 2006, to make way for the island's new cricket stadium, being constructed 3 miles outside the capital city expected to be completed in time for its hosting of matches for Cricket World Cup 2007. However, after the abandoned Test match between England and the West Indies in February 2009 at the new North Sound ground, Test cricket returned to the ARG.

The Beausejour Stadium first hosted a Test in 2003. It has a capacity of 12,000. This was the first stadium in the Caribbean to host a day-night cricket match. The match was between the West Indies and Zimbabwe. New Zealand is scheduled to play a test in 2014 to mark the return to test cricket after a break of 8 years.

The Warner Park Sporting Complex hosted its first One Day International on 23 May 2006 and its first Test match on 22 June 2006. The stadium has a permanent capacity of 8,000, with provisions for temporary stands to enable the hosting figure to past 10,000.

The Providence Stadium hosted its first One Day International on 28 March 2007 for the 2007 Cricket World Cup and its first Test match on 22 March 2008. The stadium has a permanent capacity of 15,000, and is to host Test cricket instead of Bourda.

The Sir Viv Richards Stadium hosted its first One Day International on 27 March 2007 for the 2007 Cricket World Cup and its first Test match on 30 May 2008. The stadium has a permanent capacity of 10,000, and is to host Test cricket instead of the Antigua Recreation Ground.

Windsor Park is another major cricket ground in the West Indies and home venue for the West Indian team. Construction first started on it in 2005, and it finally opened in October 2007, too late to serve as a venue for the 2007 Cricket World Cup. It hosts first-class cricket and hosted its first test on 6 July 2011 against India, however it held its first One Day International on 26 July 2009. It has a seating capacity of 12,000.

Three further stadia have been used for One Day Internationals,[15] but not Test matches. The number of One Day Internationals played at each venue is in brackets:

Viv Richards, who has a Test batting average of 50.23 from 121 matches, captained the West Indies from 1983–84 to 1991, a period throughout which the West Indies were the best Test match side in the world.

When playing one-day cricket, the Windies wear a maroon-coloured shirt and trousers. The shirt also sports the logo of the West Indian Cricket Board and the name of their sponsors, at present, Digicel. The one-day cap is maroon with the WICB logo on the left of the front, with two yellow stripes.

When playing first-class cricket, in addition to their cricket flannels West Indian fielders sometimes wear a maroon sunhat with a wide brim. The WICB logo is on the front of the hat. Helmets are coloured similarly.

During World Series Cricket, coloured uniforms were adopted. The initial West Indies uniform was pink and was later changed to maroon to match their Test match caps. Grey was also added as a secondary colour. In some of their uniforms grey has been dominant over the traditional maroon.

The West Indian women's cricket team has a much lower profile than the men's team. They played 11 Test matches between 1975–76 and 1979, winning once, losing three times, and drawing the other games. Since then, they have only played one further Test match, a draw game against Pakistan in 2003–04.[16] They also have an infrequent record in One Day Internationals. A team from Trinidad and Tobago and a team from Jamaica played in the first women's World Cup in 1973, with both sides faring poorly, finishing fifth and sixth respectively out of a field of seven.[17] The Windies united as a team to play their first ODI in 1979, but thereafter did not play until the 1993 World Cup. The side has never been one of the leading sides in the world, however, with their main success being achieving second place in the International Women's Cricket Council Trophy, a competition for the second tier of women's national cricket teams, in 2003. They finished in fifth place in the most recent World Cup, which was held in 2004–05. Their overall record in one-dayers is to have played 45, won 17, lost 27 with one no result.[18]

Because of the women's side's relatively low profile, there are few well-known names in the game. The most notable is probably Nadine George, a wicket-keeper/batsman, who became the first, and to date only, West Indian woman to score a Test century, in Karachi, Pakistan in 2003–04. George is a prominent supporter of sport in the West Indies, and in particular in her native St Lucia, and in 2005 was made an MBE by HRH The Prince of Wales for services to sport.[19]

For: 790 for 3 declared against Pakistan in Kingston in 1957–58; 751 for 5 declared against England in St John's in 2003–04; 747 all out against South Africa in St John's in 2004–05; 749 for 9 declared against England in Bridgetown in 2008–2009
Against: 849 by England in Kingston in 1929–30; 758 for 8 declared by Australia in Kingston in 1954–55

Innings totals below 60

For: 47 against England in Kingston in 2003–04; 51 against Australia in Port of Spain in 1998–99; 53 against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1986–87; 54 against England at Lord's in 2000
Against: 46 by England in Port of Spain in 1993–94; 51 by England in Kingston in 2008–09

Triple centuries scored for the Windies

400 not out by Brian Lara against England at St John's in 2003–04; 375 by Brian Lara against England at St John's in 1993–94; 365 not out by Garry Sobers against Pakistan at Kingston in 1957–58; 333 by Chris Gayle against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2010–11; 317 by Chris Gayle against South Africa at St John's in 2004–05; 302 by Lawrence Rowe against England at Bridgetown in 1973–74

Twelve or more wickets taken for the Windies in a Test match

14 for the cost of 149 runs by Michael Holding against England at the Oval in 1976; 13 for 55 by Courtney Walsh against New Zealand in Wellington in 1994–95; 12 for 121 by Andy Roberts against India in Madras in 1974–75

^See CricketArchive, for example, for a reference to when Test status was acquired

^See, for example, 75 Years of West Indies Cricket 1928–2003 by Ray Goble and Keith AP Sandiford ISBN 1-870518-78-0, the WICB authorised reference book on cricket in the West Indies. For more information on the first Test played by the Windies, see West Indies Series: Test and ODI Tours. See also the scorecard of the First Test played by the West Indies.

^Until June 2001 there was no official ranking of Test nations, with the unofficial epithet of "World champions" being decided by acclaim based on recent results. Although exactly when the West Indies became and ceased to be world champions is therefore disputed – that they were world champions for a prolonged period of time is not